Qatar Railways (QRail) had inked a $535m deal with Qatari Diar Vinci Construction (QDVC) for the new phase of works on the Lusail Light Rail Transit (LRT) system.

The contract covers civil engineering work on seven underground stations, a viaduct and preliminary works on a Light Rail Transit depot and maintenance workshop. The contract will take 38 months to complete.

The Lusail LRT project includes four lines that total 30km, with 10 underground stations and 25 stations at ground level. The project is being built in several phases – and construction began in 2010 when the first cut-and-cover tunnel excavations began in March.

Qatari Diar Vinci Construction Deputy Chief Executive Officer Hamad Al Bishri said: “QDVC, the Qatari construction company with international standards, is honoured to be the first contractor of Qatar Railways Company, delivering the first rail project in Qatar in Lusail.”

The next and final phase of the works will include rolling stock and systems. Handover of the project is set for 2016.